Valve-gear for three-cylinder locomotives.



F. J. OOLB. VALVE GEAR FOR THREE CYLINDER LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1914. Patented June 2, 1914.

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F. J; COLE. VALVE GEAR FORTH-REE OYLINDEBLOGOMOTIVES.

- APPLICATION FILED HAL. 20 1914.

- WITNESSES.-

- Tanners J. corn,

0F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

VALVE-GEAR FOR THREE-CYLINDER LOCOMOTIVES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. COLE, of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Valve-Gear for Three-Cylinder Locomotives, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for actuating all the steam distribution valves of a three cylinder locomotive, which shall be of simple and durable construction and readily accessible for inspection and lubrication, and which shall not involve the use of different types of valve gears upon the inner and the outer cylinders, respectively, and will render adaptable the application of Walschaert gear in connection wit-h the valves of all the cylinders of the locomotive.

.The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side view, in elevation, of so much of a locomotive engine as will suffice to illustrate an application of my invention; Fig. 2, a plan or top View; and, Figs. 3 and 4-, transverse sections, on the lines a a and b 6, respectively, of Fig. 1'.

The provision'of an appropriate and efiective mechanism for actuating the distribution valve of the center cylinder is one of the most important elements in the design of a three cylinder locomotive, and a. number of different forms of valve gear have been proposed and applied for that purpose. Among these, the earliest was the Stephenson link motion, which involved the use of two eccentrics in addition to the four eccentrics by which the valves of the outside cylinders were operated. Walschaert gear has also been used, with an eccentric on the crank axle to vibrate the link of the center valve gear, in which case it was found diiiicult to obtain the desired travel, and the full advantage of the lValschaert gear was not allorded. In other designs of three cylinder locomotives, Walschaert gear has been applied for working the valves of the outside cylinder and Joy gear for that of the center cylinder. The performance of the VValschaert gear in two cylinder locomotives has proven so satisfactory as to lead to its practically universal adoption in recent practice, and my invention is designed to render it adaptable in three cylinder locomo Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 20, 1914. Serial No. 825,973.

Patented June 2, 1914:.

tives, with correspondingly advantageous results and under a simple and effective coir struction.

Referring to the drawings my invention is herein exemplified as applied in a three cylinder locomotive having a plurality of driving axles, comprising a main crank axle, 1, carrying a pair of driving wheels, 2, and coupled axles, 1 carrying pairs of driving wheels, 2*, the several axles being journaled in hearings in side frame members, 3, in the ordinary manner. A center cylinder, 4, and two outside cylinders 4 are formed in or secured to the cylinder saddles, a proper distance forward of the crank axle, the piston and piston rod (not shown) of the center cylinder being coupled by a main connecting rod, 5, to a crank pin, 1*, on the crank axle, 1, and the pistons and piston rods (not shown) of the outside cylinders are coupled by main connecting rods, 5, to crank pins, 6, on the driving wheels, 2, of the crank axle. The several pairs of driving wheels are connected, as usual, by side or coupling rods, 5

The steam distribution valves of the several cylinders are fitted to reciprocate in valve chests located above the cylinders, and, as they may be of any suitable form, and do not, in and of themselves, form any part of my present invention, they are not herein specifically set forth. The distribution valves of the outside cylinders are actuated by \Valschacrt valve gears, which are of the present standard type, each comprising the usual pivoted link, 8, coupled to one end of an eccentric rod, 8, the opposite end of which is coupled, to a return crank arm, 8*, fixed on one of the crank pins, 6, of the crank axle, 1; a combination link, 9, coupled to the cross head, 9"; and a combination lever, 10, which is coupled to the combination link and to one end of a radius rod, 11, the opposite end portion of which is fitted to traverse in a slot in the link, 8, and is also coupled to the distribl'ltion valve stem, 15. The radius rods are raised and lowered through the slots of the links, 8, to effect desired reversals of direction of movement and variations of point of cut off, by a reach rod, 12, operable from the cab of the locomotive, and coupled to the upper arm, 13*, of a reverse shaft, 13, the lower arms, 13", of which are coupled by links, 13, to the radius rods, 11.

The distribution valve of the center cylinder is actuated by a Walschaert valve gear of substantially similar construction and manner of operation, the link, 8, of which is located in rear of those of the gears of the outside cylinders, and is vibrated by an eccentric rod, 8, which is coupled to a return crank arm, 8?, on one of the crank pins, 6, of the driving wheels of an axle 'in rear of the crank axle. The link, 8, and its eccentric rod and return crank arm, are preferably, as shown, located on the right hand side of the locomotive, and on the outside of the frame, 3, to facilitate inspection and oiling, and the radius rod, 11*, is raised and lowered by the movements of thereach rod, 12, through the intermediation of a supplemental-reverse shaft, 13, the upper arm, 13, of which is coupled to the reach rod and the lower arm, 13 to a link, 13, which is, in turn, coupled to the radius rod, 11.

The radius rod, 11, is, when the gear of the center cylinder is located outside the frame, as above described, located in a vertical plane outside of that of the combination lever of the center cylinder, and its connection to said combination lever is efiected through arocker, 14:, journaled transversely to the adjacent frame member, 3, in a bearing, let, thereon, and having two upwardly extending parallel arms, 14:", 14, the outer of which, 14 is coupled to the radius bar, 11 and the inner of which, 1 1, is coupled to the rear end of a supplemental radius bar, 11 the forward end of which is coupled to the combination lever, 10 of the center cylinder. The return crank arm, 8 and link, 8, of the valve gear of the center cylinder are set in such relation to the corresponding members of the valve gears of the outside cylinders, as to preserve the proper sequence of valve events for the inside cylinder relatively to the outside cylinders, the return crank arm, 8, being preferably at equal angles to those of the outside cylinders in the circular path of the centers of the several crank pins.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a three cylinder locomotive having a plurality. of driving axles, the combinatlon of two crank arms, each fixed to 'one of the driving axles and actuating the valve gear of one of the outside cylinders of the locomotive, and a crank arm fixed toa driving axle in rear of that which carries said. two crank arms, and set angularly relatively thereto, and actuating the valve gear of the center cylinder.

2. In a three cylinder locomotive having a plurality of driving axles, the combination of two crank arms, each fixed to one of the driving axles and actuating the valve gear of one of the outside cylinders of the locomotive, and a crank arm fixed to a driving axle in rear of that which carries said two crank arms and set at equal angles relatively to said crank arms, and actuating the valve gear of the center cylinder.

3. In a three cylinder locomotive having a plurality of driving axles, the combination of two crank arms, each fixed to one of the driving axles and actuating the valve gear of one of the outside cylinders of the locomotive, a crank arm fixed to a driving axle in rear of that which carries said two crank arms, outside of the frame of the locomotive, a rocker journaled transversely on the frame and having arms on its opposite ends, a valve gear connected to the crank arm of said rear axle and to the outer rocker arm, and connections coupling the inner rocker arm to the valve actuating mechanism of the center cylinder.

FRANCIS J. COLE.

Witnesses l S. W. TYLER, FRANK F. SCOVILLE. 

